Reading is Cool

Plus, Columbus' new e-bike program

Author

The Scarlet Letter
July 14, 2023

Top of Mind

Reading is Cool

Although smutty local email newsletters are our preferred brand of reading, you should definitely hit the Columbus Book Festival this weekend at the main library downtown.

At this banger of a festival, you can meet over 200 authors, browse new and used books, shop for literary gifts, and enjoy live entertainment.

Visit ColumbusBookFestival.org for a full rundown, and check out the map below for a sneak peek đź‘€

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Scarlet Letter Trivia

Question: Twelve days until the Ohio State Fair. How much are tickets in advance?

A. $2
B. $8
C. $19
D. $38
E. Two bacon-wrapped deep-fried oreos

In the News

Parting Pay
Former Ohio State President Kristina Johnson will be paid about $1 million as part of her outgoing compensation—as long as she doesn’t speak disparagingly about the university. Not bad work if you can get it.

Johnson, who last November suddenly announced her resignation less than two years into the job, will receive one year of her base salary ($927,000) paid out over 12 months. She will also receive a one-time payment of $278,100. More than six months after the announcement, it’s still unclear why Johnson resigned.

Rox Bottom
Dr. Tik Tok Roxy, a (former) plastic surgeon, lost a few followers this week. More importantly (depending on who you ask), Dr. Katharine Roxanne Grawe also lost her medical license on Wednesday, following multiple warnings from the State Medical Board of Ohio. She was accused of injuring patients while livestreaming procedures online. While some people use surgeon simulators to practice for real-world surgery Dr. Roxy used the operating room as a TikTok temple to practice APPendectimies.

Just praying for everyone who sought out their surgeon on TikTok…

Third Down
U.S. marshals tracked down the final suspect of last week’s GTA-style crime spree that saw a Columbus police officer shot and hospitalized. Aden Abduallahi Jama, 20, of Reynoldsburg, was trying to board a flight at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport bound for Turkey. It’s unclear whether his final destination was Turkey, which has an extradition treaty with the U.S. Last week’s crime spree by three men included robbing a bank in a stolen Porsche. One suspect died in a shootout with police. Another was arrested in the Linden neighborhood hours after the incident.

Going Digital
Once centered around autonomous transportation initiatives, the Smart Columbus program is shifting focus to digital equity in the form of broadband access. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted broadband disparities among low-income residents, driving the initiative towards enhanced online learning, telehealth, and social services access. Ohio may rank No. 1 for fried fair food (probably), but we rank 30th for internet access. On top of the $50 million spent on transportation in recent years, Smart Columbus is asking the state for a piece of the $50 million in federal money it received for digital equity programs.

Alt Transportation
Will we ever give up our cars? A new e-bike incentive program is meant to help Columbus shed that car-centric reputation. Columbus residents can apply for a voucher of $500-1,200 to purchase an e-bike at one of several participating local shops. There are only 150 vouchers available so you better hurry if you’re interested. Participation is capped for household incomes under $150,000. Modeled after a similar program in Denver, the city of Columbus is investing $250,000 to encourage e-bike ridership.

Flamin Hot
The Hilliard Food Pantry has reopened in a pop-up location just days after a fire destroyed the pantry warehouse. The July 9 fire caused an estimated $1.5 million in damages and ruined all inventory. Officials are investigating the cause of the fire…

Quotable

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Columbus is a leader in semiconductor manufacturing, electric vehicles and biotechnology. These industries are growing every single day. In order to keep this progress growing, employers need more skilled workers.

First Lady Jill Biden, speaking in Columbus on Wednesday to launch President’s job-training program, which designates Columbus as a “workforce hub.”

🍿 NIGHTLIGHT Giveaway 📽️

🚨GIVEAWAY TIME!🚨 THIS. IS. NOT. A. DRILL! @nightlight614 “Part II” tickets just OPENED 👀🎥 these will sell out! So act quick.

PLUS we’ve got 2 Pairs of @nightlight614 SEASON PASSES to giveaway!

To Enter:

1. like this post and and tag a friend in the comments! (1 tag = 1 entry, unlimited entries)

2. you must be following @nightlight614 & @onlyincbus

3. for a bonus entry share this post to your story!

The Winner will be randomly selected Monday 7/17

Good luck! GO!

Trivia Answer

B. It’s only $8 for advance tickets to the Ohio State Fair July 26-August 6. Then, extra for deep-fried everything and a triple bypass.

Signing Off